Tel Aviv, May 15 (IANS) The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is bracing up for a multi-pronged attack against the Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

On Tuesday, the 99 division of the Israel army conducted raids and attacks in the Jebalya region of northern Gaza killing several Hamas operatives.

The IDF had earlier claimed that it had eliminated the entire Hamas battalions in northern Gaza. However, sources in IDF told IANS that some groups of militants have regrouped and are carrying out attacks including minor rocket attacks on southern Israel. This has led IDF to carry out operations in the Jebalya region of northern Gaza.

Sources in the Israel Defense Ministry told IANS that more than 25 Hamas members were killed in the operations at Jebalya on Tuesday and the 99 division of IDF will be conducting more ground operations in the coming days to flush out the remaining Hamas men.

After the March 2023 attack on Al-Shifa hospital in which IDF killed many Hamas men, the Tuesday attack is considered one of the major operations carried out by IDF in the region.

Meanwhile, the 162 battalion of IDF is conducting attacks in the Rafah region of southern Gaza. Sources in IDF told IANS that the army is focusing more on ground operations. The U.S. and other Western allies of Israel have asked Israel not to indulge in attacks in the Rafah region, leading to civilian casualties.